THE SOUTHERN STAR Principal: Mr Andrew Ponsford www.scg.vic.edu.au Main Reception Ph: (03) 8363 2000 1 Thursday 8 August 2019 - Edition 309 I believe that having the responsibility to educate our students is a privilege. The Student Centred Vision that underpins our School reflects our intention to educate young people to be resilient, effective leaders, creative thinkers, problem solvers and individuals who are keen to achieve their best and show compassion towards others. Through our many programs, we strive to provide opportunities for our students to develop the important attributes that will enable them to achieve success in their future lives and to be well rounded, caring citizens. Tomorrow’s R U OK? Day is a good example. The whole school will participate in activities organised by our Heads of School and other staff, with assistance from several student leaders. I thank these people for their initiative and for the time they have donated to such a worthwhile program. I am sure it will be beneficial for everyone involved and will enhance the personal development of our students in many ways. I also congratulate the staff and students who participated in the recent Galway Debating competitions, the Interschool Sports competitions and the Science Talent Search last Saturday. Our students are very fortunate to have these opportunities and I commend the staff for giving up their time to organise and attend. 2020 Year 10 Subject Application Interviews The 2020 Year 10 Subject Application Interviews are scheduled to take place in Week 6 of this term, from Monday 19 August – Thursday 22 August, 3:30pm – 6:30pm. Families will have received notification of their interview times via email this week. Year 9 Students will be given the Subject Application Form before the interview. This form is to be completed and taken to the interview. This is a critical task as it forms the focus of discussions during the interview. In this Edition Mrs Julie Baud Acting Principal Acting Principal’s Address: Mrs Julie Baud 1 Deputy Principal’s Address: Ms Louisa Rennie 2 What’s on Next Week 2 Parents and Friends Association News 3 Junior School News: Ms Romina Pimpini 4 Middle School News: Mr David Wildsmith 6 Senior School News: Ms Louisa Rennie 7 STEM News 8
Transcript
THE SOUTHERN STAR
Principal: Mr Andrew Ponsford
www.scg.vic.edu.au Main Reception Ph: (03) 8363 2000 1
Thursday 8 August 2019 - Edition 309
I believe that having the responsibility to educate our students is a privilege. The Student Centred Vision that underpins our School reflects our intention to educate young people to be resilient, effective leaders, creative thinkers, problem solvers and individuals who are keen to achieve their best and show compassion towards others. Through our many programs, we strive to provide opportunities for our students to develop the important attributes that will enable them to achieve success in their future lives and to be well rounded, caring citizens.Tomorrow’s R U OK? Day is a good example. The whole school will participate in activities organised by our Heads of School and other staff, with assistance from several student leaders. I thank these people for their initiative and for the time they have donated to such a worthwhile program. I am sure it will be beneficial for everyone involved and will enhance the personal development of our students in many ways. I also congratulate the staff and students who participated in the recent Galway Debating competitions, the Interschool Sports competitions and the Science Talent Search last Saturday. Our students are very fortunate to have these opportunities and I commend the staff for giving up their time to organise and attend.
2020 Year 10 Subject Application InterviewsThe 2020 Year 10 Subject Application Interviews are scheduled to take place in Week 6 of this term, from Monday 19 August – Thursday 22 August, 3:30pm – 6:30pm. Families will have received notification of their interview times via email this week. Year 9 Students will be given the Subject Application Form before the interview. This form is to be completed and taken to the interview. This is a critical task as it forms the focus of discussions during the interview.
www.scg.vic.edu.au Main Reception Ph: (03) 8363 2000 2
Thursday 8 August 2019 - Edition 309
What’s on Next Week
Friday 9 August
R U OK? Day SCG Celebrations
Monday 12 August
Year 12 English Comparative Text Study**Parent Teacher Interviews at 3:30pm-8:30pm
Tuesday 13 August
STEM Day
Wednesday 14 August
Parent Teacher Interviews at 8:30am-8:00pmNon-Teaching Day (Foundation-Year 11)
Thursday 15 August
Year 7 Outdoor Education Stony Hill Creek excursion**
Deputy Principal’s Address
Ms Louisa RennieDeputy PrincipalHead of Senior School (10-12)We are excited to come together as a whole school tomorrow, and acknowledge R U OK? Day. Various activities will be held in the Junior School (JS), Middle School (MS) and Senior School (SS) under the keen guidance of our Student Leaders. Due to the weather forecast, we will not host a shared assembly at the end of the day, however families are reminded of the following:
Whole School dress code: Full PE uniform and a splash of yellow – for example: hair tie, ribbon, beanie, hat, tie, scarf, sunglasses, t-shirt or socks under PE uniform or wrist band (no hair or face paint)
Donation: Gold coin donation will be collected during homeroom and funds raised will go to Kids Helpline
Learn at home: You might like to watch this short video as a family to learn a little more about the 4 conversation steps here.
WHOLE SCHOOL TERM 3 STUDENT PROGRESS INTERVIEWS
Thank you to the many families who have secured interviews times with staff for our Student Progress Interviews next week. Please note that access to the booking platform will close at 8:00am on Monday morning and Wednesday morning respectively. This allows our staff time to finalise their notes and prepare for a productive conversation with you. We will be trialling a visting food truck on Monday evening, and parents and families will be able to purchase from 5:30pm – 7:00pm, or until sold out.
Some reminders about next week:
• Students are encouraged to attend their interviews with you.• Students attending the interviews must be in full school
uniform.• Dismissal time for students on Monday 12 August is per the
normal times, 3:05pm in the Middle and Senior School and 3:10pm in the Junior School.
• Wednesday 14 August is a non-teaching day for F – Y11. All Unit 3/4 classes will continue as per the Daily Schedule on Wednesday 14 August.
Interviews will be conducted:
• from 3:30pm – 8:30pm on Monday 12 August• from 8:30am – 8:00pm on Wednesday 14 August• in the JS, MS and SS buildings• with Homeroom teachers from F – Y6• with Subject teachers from Y7 – Y12.
www.scg.vic.edu.au Main Reception Ph: (03) 8363 2000 3
Thursday 8 August 2019 - Edition 309
Parents and Friends Association
FOODBANK DRIVEAs always, the SCG community rallies together for a good cause. Volunteers sorted, counted and packed boxes of food from our generous Junior School (JS) families for those doing it tough and needing a little extra help. Foodbank were overwhelmed with the generosity, with 405kg of food (729 meals) being donated!
Which JS Class will win the 2019 Ultimate VIP experience at the Disco for donating the most food? Stay tuned for the announcement in next week’s newsletter.
HOUSE COLOUR T-SHIRTSHouse colour t-shirts are still available in limited numbers and sizes. If you know anyone who would like to purchase a House t-shirt, please advise them that they are available from the New-2-You Uniform Shop for $20.
JUNIOR SCHOOL DISCOThere is still time to book tickets to the Junior School Disco. Tickets are $15 each. This includes food, drinks and fun. Buy
your child(ren)’s Disco tickets here.
Don’t forget, we are asking our Junior School Disco Dancers to wear something purple to coincide with our Foodbank theme. Please note that this is a student-only event.
FATHERS’ DAY STALLWe still need volunteers to assist with setting up the stalls on Thursday 29 August and managing the stall on Friday 30 August. If you wish to volunteer for the Father’s Day Stall, please contact pfa@scg�vic�edu�au to register your interest. Please note that you must have a valid Working with Children’s Check registered with Reception.
www.scg.vic.edu.au Main Reception Ph: (03) 8363 2000 4
Thursday 8 August 2019 - Edition 309
Ms Romina PimpiniHead of Junior School (F-4)
Junior School News
With a bumper-term of events and activities in the Junior School (JS), this week classes have been designing door ideas, planning costumes to wear and gathering books to read.
Highlights in the next couple of weeks include our inaugural iChina event, the PFA F-4 Disco, and of course, Book Week 2019. Every one of these events and activities provides students with opportunities to mingle with their peers, develop their personal skills and share in achievements.
Likewise, our Junior School Enrichment Program has provided many JS students with a chance to work with different teachers, as well as developing new-found skills. We have discovered food artists, encouraged Billycart makers, creative players, city-planners and a galvanised group of dancers.
Congratulations to our JS teachers and students who have challenged themselves
and shared their passions of creativity, problem-solving and thinking.
We cannot wait to hear from you all in our Week 9 Assembly.
A massive thank you to everyone who kindly donated boxes for our Southern Cross City. Students were very excited to receive the boxes and can’t wait to start building!
While we strive for improvement for every student as educators, we look to work with families to develop the whole child.
Personal Goal Plans (PGPs) will be shared with families next week through the Progress Interviews schedule.
In meeting with teachers and gaining feedback, as well as developing goals, we hope to build each child’s ability to realise our SCG Student Centred Vision, particularly Understanding Self, Taking Risks and Be Creative, and a Problem
Solver. I recently came across several articles focused on building children’s confidence – no matter their age.
I thought I would share one of these with you: Learning From Mistakes: Why We Need to Let Children Fail.
We look forward to working with you to assist your child in becoming an independent, active citizen in their future.
www.scg.vic.edu.au Main Reception Ph: (03) 8363 2000 5
Thursday 8 August 2019 - Edition 309
HERE IS THE LOVEOver the last few weeks, our Year 1 Students have been learning about how line, shape and colour can be used to create texture for their Love Monsters. To complete the learning task, students were able to use different types of materials to create hand puppets of their love monsters that were just the right amount of scary and cute. Paraphrasing the Black Eyed Peas, “Here is the Love!”
Junior School News
16 August is set to be filled with colour and
culture. You are invited to our
Assembly at 8:45am to kick-start the day.
THE SOUTHERN STAR
Principal: Mr Andrew Ponsford
www.scg.vic.edu.au Main Reception Ph: (03) 8363 2000 6
Thursday 8 August 2019 - Edition 309
Middle School News
With excursions to the Melbourne Museum, Chinese Terracotta Warriors at the NGV, debating finals, Maths competitions, and swimming every day for our Year 5s and Year 6s, it was an exhausting week in Middle School! It was fantastic to see many students involved in the array of activities, as well as the personal growth and experience that they all achieved.
Below are some student snapshots from our Year 5’s and 6’s who had their intensive swim program all week. While I am sure they slept well at the end of the week, the comments just go to show how much they enjoyed the experience!
No student regrets attending a new club, or checking out something that may be new at school, so I would urge all students to make the most of any opportunity that presents itself. Taking risks, questioning and exploring are all key components of our school ethos, so it would be great to see every Middle Schooler trying something new at some stage this semester.
A very big thank you to all the staff members who help to provide the students with all of these opportunities!
During Week 3, Years 4-6 took an amazing trip to the Paul Sadler Swimland to learn and practice how to swim for the entire week! We learned all four strokes and had a lot of fun! We also learned how to tread water properly and dive better. We loved the games we played because everyone had fun and contributed. We enjoyed the swim instructors because they helped us improve and gave us activities that tested our abilities – Aliviah S and Megan S (Year 6)
My experience at swimming was great. I learnt to do freestyle, backstroke, tread water and even dove during my classes. Even though it only lasted for 5 days I made the best of it. It helped me because if I was drowning in a pool, I am now confident that I could save myself from drowning. – Agam Dhillon (Year 5)
Swimming last week was so much fun - I learnt so many new skills! The teachers were so kind and helpful and made the lessons fun and engaging. I am already looking forward to next year’s lessons! – Michaela Arcuri (Year 5)
Mr David WildsmithHead of Middle School (5-8)
THE SOUTHERN STAR
Principal: Mr Andrew Ponsford
www.scg.vic.edu.au Main Reception Ph: (03) 8363 2000 7
Thursday 8 August 2019 - Edition 309
Senior School News
Ms Louisa RennieHead of Senior School (10-12)
On Friday 2 August, four ‘old scholars’ reunited at the Castle Hotel in North Melbourne to catch up on old times. I am particularly proud of Vincent Muneretto, President, and Alumni Association Committee members for organising this event, a first on our school calendar.
As with all ventures, these initiatives take time to grow and we look forward to seeing the Class of 2019 joining forces with the Class of 2018 for future events.
While the Committee will focus on plans for each Class to have a 5 year reunion, a 6-month post school catch up is a wonderful chance to check in and hear about the diverse journeys that our students have embarked upon.
We offer our congratulations to the following students who have shared a little about their pathways below:
• Vincent Muneretto, Class of 2018 is undertaking a 3 year degree in Biomedical and Exercise Science at Victoria University
• Muneib Rauf, Class of 2018 has commenced a 3 year Bachelor of Science at the University of Melbourne and seeks to step into a 2 year Master of Chemical Engineering
• Kate Vukoja, Class of 2018, is engaged in an 18 month Diploma of Nursing at the Australian Catholic University and seeks to move into a 2 year degree in Nursing
• Alicia Ciacic, Class of 2018 is enrolled in a 3 year Bachelor of Commerce at La Trobe University.
All past students spoke of enjoying their independence, the social aspect of university life, the improved capacity to balance work, study and a social life and the opportunity to make new friends and connect with old friends at university.
We wish them ongoing success with their studies and hope to welcome them back to school to share their experiences with our current students.
SCG’s first cohort of Year 12 Students SCG’s first cohort of Year 12 Students at their first reunion
THE SOUTHERN STAR
Principal: Mr Andrew Ponsford
www.scg.vic.edu.au Main Reception Ph: (03) 8363 2000 8
Thursday 8 August 2019 - Edition 309
STEM News
Southern Cross Grammar will be celebrating STEM Day on 13 August as part of National Science Week.
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) Day activities have been organised at various year levels to raise the awareness of STEM in our lives.
An afternoon program has also been organised for students from selected STEM groups to display their projects. The SCG community is welcome to attend the afternoon program from 4:30pm to 6:30pm.
Please contact Mr Rajnesh Ram (rram@scg�vic�edu�au) for further information on the afternoon program.
CHEMISTRY AT SCGLast week all of our Year 11 Chemistry students participated in the international ANCQ Chemistry Quiz. The United Nations declared 2019 as the ‘International Year of the Periodic Table of Chemical Elements’ and by completing the quiz, we celebrated and recognised the importance of Chemistry. The quiz consisted of 30 multiple choice questions and was completed using an online platform. Last year 94,000 students completed the quiz worldwide. We are excited to be able to offer this competition to our Year 11 Chemistry students and are eagerly awaiting results.
Year 12 Chemistry students recently completed a Volumetric Analysis on the ascorbic acid content of Vitamin C tablets. Chemical analysis is an important aspect of chemistry as it allows analytical chemists to identify both qualitative and quantitative information on substances. The images show students carrying out a titration whereby they are adding standard iodine solution into a solution made of Vitamin C tablets and water. They are observing a colour change from orange to deep-purple using a starch indicator solution. The Year 12s thoroughly enjoyed this experiment as it involved both precision of technique and a little healthy competition as students tried to obtain the most accurate set of results.
www.scg.vic.edu.au Main Reception Ph: (03) 8363 2000 9
Thursday 8 August 2019 - Edition 309
STEM News
SCG STUDENTS AT THE SCIENCE TALENT SEARCH PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITIONOn Saturday 3 August, Sachitha Dinessh, Bethany Ferraro, Victoria Skrekovski and Callum Weir represented Southern Cross Grammar at the yearly Science Talent Search Photography Competition held at Parade College in Bundoora.
Students were given the opportunity to explore a field of science that they were interested in and had spent weeks
Sachitha Dinessh: My photograph shows how tides leave remains from the undersea on the land as they push and pull in and out letting us discover different and mysterious things left behind. The image shows the three layers – Sky, water layers and the sandy land, which are three important adaptions to the environment.
Bethany Ferraro: This picture illustrates the change in the shape of a metal bolt. This is due to corrosion.
Callum Weir: My photographs show the Fibonacci Sequence as seen in a Pine Cone and in an Ammonite Shell. Victoria Skrekovski: My photograph shows how the same
species of tree can display both large branches, and soft green leaves. Even though the tree may not be living, it is still standing strong due to deep roots and a thick stem.
preparing for the Competition. Students were responsible for taking and editing their photographs and writing a scientific report explaining their aim, method and the scientific concepts supporting their photos.
As you can see, their photos are amazing and a lot of hard work has gone into these projects. We are eagerly awaiting news of any bursary awards. Well done to these students for giving up some of their weekend to participate and compete in the Competition.
